Storms
by Jaina Durron
Summary: A young Jaina Solo isn't very fond of thunderstorms.


**A.N.** I wanted to write another EU shot and I came up with this! I haven't read much of the books or comics from this time, but this scene would take place very shortly after the Solo kids start living with their parents again.

And, yes, the song at the end0 I stole it from my own ALS 2.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Jaina Solo couldn't go to sleep. Outside the viewport of her bedroom, wind and rain beat down hard against the glass and the tall building itself. Jaina wasn't much fond of the wind either; its long, never-ending howls could be scary, too. What really scared the little girl, however, was the loud clapping of thunder and the accompanying flashes of lightning.

For the past however long, Jaina had used the strategy of hiding beneath her blankets, but it was getting warm and she sweated underneath all those sheets. She didn't feel safe in her room, all by herself. She wished Jacen were with her. Or even Anakin. They had their own bedroom, though- one that they shared together. While Jaina was sure it wouldn't take her long to find them, the apartment was so huge, the thought of venturing around in the middle of the night during such a storm scared her. But she really longed for her brothers' comfort.

Or Winter's.

This new home was big and foreign and so different, and the people were strangers to her, but, right now, Jaina mostly missed Winter. Storms didn't disturb the weather on New Alderaan very often, but on the rare occasion there was one, Winter would always comfort her, tell her a story before dropping her back in bed. Jaina missed Winter.

No longer could she take staying in her dark room, so she scampered out on light feet, creaking her door open before darting out into the long hall. The apartment was _so big._ Jaina swung her head to look both ways down the hall before choosing one way and running. She found the main living room area and Jaina would have smiled with pride in herself if another flare of lightning hadn't chosen that moment to come. Early into this long night, Jaina had already learned that lightning was only a warning for thunder, so she hurried for the couch where there sat a stack of blankets before the next clash of thunder could come. But she wasn't fast enough and she shrieked as tears spilt down her cheeks. This clash was longer, though, followed by low, but loud, deep rumbles that shook the apartment. Jaina grabbed a blanket and pulled it to the floor with her. She hid herself in it and cried.

"Jaya?" a soft, worried voice called out and light footsteps sounded nearby.

Jaina quietly gasped. It was the woman stranger- the one who wanted Jaina to call her 'mom', but Jaina didn't know her.

She missed Winter.

"Jaya, sweetie? Are you there?"

Cautiously, Jaina peeked out of her mass of blankets. The next bang of thunder came without warning and Jaina yelped.

"Oh, Jaina." The woman hurried over. She kneeled at Jaina's side and peeled the blankets back. "Are you alright?"

Jaina quickly swept her hand across the eyes to wipe the tears away; she didn't want the woman to see that she'd been crying. What would she think of her then? "Fine," she squeaked. And only because she was so scared, she scooted into the woman's arms just a little bit.

The woman took her in and held her close. Her embrace was so soothing and felt so right that Jaina didn't object. "Are you scared of the storm?" she asked gently.  
Jaina didn't respond; she was too focused on waiting for the next warning of lightning.

The woman continued to soothe her. "You know, it's alright to be scared."

That got Jaina's attention. She wriggled in her arms. "It is?"

"Of course, it is," she laughed lightly. She pushed back from Jaina so she could look at her. Tucking her dark brown hair past her ears, she told her, comfortingly, "I know this ought to be scary. It's been a long day and you've met a lot of people that you don't recognize, but Daddy and I want you and your brothers to be happy and comfortable with us. We want you guys to feel like this is home and like you're safe with us. Because you are. Daddy and I love all three of you so much and we're glad we finally have you guys back. So, if there's anything we can do to make you more comfortable, you can tell us." Another flash of lightning struck and Jaina- with no better place to go- dove for her mother's arms. Leia took her in and held her close. "Now, about this storm . . . " She picked Jaina up and carried her back to her room. She lied her back in bed, tucked the blankets around her, then lied with her. "Did you know that, when I was a little girl like you, I was really scared of thunderstorms too."

Jaina, keeping her blankets tucked about herself, turned over to look at Leia. "You were?"

"Oh! I was terrified! I would always jump out of bed and _run_ to my mama and papa's room."

"You lived with your parents when you were little?"

A sad look took over her features, but she nodded. "Yes. Because we lived on a safe planet and we had lots of guards who watched over us. It was different from here. Now, listen. I would always sneak into my parents' bed and lie between them. It made me feel safer when I was with them. Then, my mama would sing me a lullaby and my papa would hug me close and tickle me until I could hardly breathe." To illustrate her point, Leia poked her side and sent Jaina into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Meanwhile, a particularly loud clash of lightning hit, but Jaina was too busy to notice as she was laughing deliriously. Leia continued, "And they would talk to me and tell me stories and soon enough . . . "

"What?"

"I hardly even noticed it was storming."

Another flash came and Jaina ducked back into Leia's arms. "Hey, it's alright, Jaya. I'm here. It's just a storm. It can't do anything to you." Leia stroked her head, combing her fingers through her soft hair. "My, you sure got you hair all tangled up." Leia got up and grabbed Jaina's brush from her dresser, pulled off a hair band from her wrist, and set to work braiding her daughter's hair. "Now, you shouldn't make such a tangle when you fall asleep again."

"I was never sleeping," Jaina quietly admitted.

"That's alright." Leia pulled Jaina back into her arms and lied down with her. "What did Winter do to comfort you when they were storms?" she asked.

Jaina thought about it with a small smile. "She sometimes told us stories. Fairytales, she called them. I always asked her to sing like the lullabies on Anakin's music player, but she said she couldn't sing."

Leia chuckled. "I don't know if I'm much of a singer, but I'll try if you want me to."

Jaina turned in her arms to look up at Leia and smiled and nodded eagerly.

"Alright. There was one lullaby that _my_ mama would always sing to me. Of course, she sang it when I came running in during storms, but she loved singing this lullaby and she sang it to me every night."

Skeptical, Jaina asked, "Every night?"

" _Every night._ I'm not even kidding. And I lived with my parents for 19 years! Anyway, she had such a soft and beautiful voice; I loved it when she sang the lullaby to me." And she began.

" _The stars are in awe of you tonight_

 _For you're my shining star_

 _There is no greater pleasure_

 _Than to have you in my arms_

 _The sky rejoices_

 _As it watches from afar_

 _I bet you'll never believe_

 _Just how precious you are_

 _To me_

 _Hush, my dear_

 _And go to sleep_

 _Shut your eyes_

 _And don't you weep_

 _Lis'n to me_

 _'Cause this song will make you sleep_

 _And I'll still be here,_

 _Treasuring you."_

When Leia was done, Jaina had curled herself up even closer and snugger in her mother's arms. She nodded her little head against Leia's chest. "I like that lullaby too," she yawned.

Leia smiled. "Then, maybe, I could sing it to you more often."

"Maybe, you'll sing it every night to me like your mama did?"

Leia froze for a moment. "Would you want me to?"

Jaina nodded again, her eyelids falling heavily. "I would like that too."

"Okay," Leia said. She carefully laid Jaina down on her bed and pulled the blankets back over her. Tucking her in, Leia dropped a kiss on her daughter's temple. "Then, I might have to do that. Goodnight, Jaina. I love you."


End file.
